


Who You Are

by WarriorHeart



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Corruption, Deal With It, F/M, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Mental Instability, Not Canon Compliant, Pre Age of Calamity, Spoilers for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, Unrequited Love, What-If, and slightly post, character backstory, child grooming if you squint
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,134
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29794068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorHeart/pseuds/WarriorHeart
Summary: A look into Astor's background and general character arc (or lack thereof, aside from being the crazy cult follower). Includes spoilers for Age of Calamity, as the story eventually runs alongside the game's.Any resemblance to other works is purely accident! Been replaying the game and thinking about my mans and how he got to where he is, and this is the result of that.
Relationships: (Implied) Link/Zelda, King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule/Zelda's Mother (Legend of Zelda), Link's Father/Link's Mother, Sooga/Master Kohga
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

As the so-called heroes of Hyrule advance on the castle, something whispers in the back of his mind. He brushes it away at first, but it's the girl - the princess, the goddess reborn. That day when she had finally unlocked her powers, something had begun to chip away at long-repressed memories.

_Her mother would be so proud._

-

For as long as he can remember, Astor has been blessed

_cursed_

with visions of the future. The first he can remember was of the year's wheat crop failing. His parents risked corn instead, and they were the only ones in the village to make any sort of money that year. They tell no one; perhaps it was just an odd coincidence.

But it keeps happening. It seems to be the most random of things; whether or not a wandering trader will have honeyed candy for the village children or some exciting story, a tree falling and blocking the road at a specific spot, when a storm would cause tons of damage to the entire village, crops included.

For a few years, things are okay. Astor has always been a somewhat odd child; he stares at other children, sometimes spouting out some random detail of their future. Most often, he predicts something that happens in the next week or two; sometimes, however, he's woken in the night with dreams of the months ahead.

When he's eleven, his parents are woken in the same manner as before. Astor seems worried, and they think it must be another impending disaster.

It is, but not what they assumed.

Astor has dreamt of blood and monsters; darkness and fear. He has dreamt of death, though he excludes the fact he had seen his parents among the bodies.

For a small time, they wonder what their son has dreamt of. Perhaps it was a simple nightmare, as weak as the argument may sound.

But two weeks later, five horses enter their village. All of them carry the crest of the royal family; four are guards, one obviously higher rank, and the fifth person, a woman, wears a cloak. It's of fine make, but it obscures her features well. Their appearance sends the village into murmurings; they're a small community. They handle the few monsters in the area with ease, trade with other nearby towns, and largely provide everything they need to survive themselves. No one can remember the last time anyone associated with the royal family has been there.

They ask for Astor.

When his father comes into their home, quietly saying, "There's people outside who want to talk with him," Astor's mother hugs him tightly. He's confused as to why; surely nothing bad could happen.

Outside, the crowd is still whispering. It increases when they see him; his father stands slightly behind him as the captain dismounts, kneeling before him. Astor is short for his age, and the man is quite tall; sandy blonde hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, and a neatly trimmed beard hides all but the faintest hint of a scar. His eyes are as blue as the sky, and his smile is gentle as he looks at Astor.

"My name is Rora. Are you Astor?"

He nods, unsure of what to say. Rora continues speaking anyways.

"There's someone who would like to meet you. You have... strange visions, right? Of things that could happen, and usually do?"

Astor feels a lump in his throat. He nods again.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, they have that same ability." Rora offers his hand. Astor glances back at his father; he offers a tight smile, nodding slightly. So Astor takes Rora's hand, following him over to the horses. The cloaked rider has dismounted, hands folded neatly together. Her dress is somewhat visible; a deep blue with gold thread accents and edging. Astor doubts anyone in their village could afford something like that, even if everyone gave some money.

She pulls off her hood, and the crowd gasps and begins to murmur again. Golden hair falls to her waist, mostly left to hang free with a few sections braided to keep it under control. Her eyes are a stunning green; her skin is paler than the captain's, but she still has an aura of strength about her.

Perhaps the most telling feature is the crown she wears.

Astor is too stunned to move for several moments. When he does attempt to bow, a gentle hand on his shoulder makes him stop. The woman - princess, soon to be queen - gives him a soft smile. "Walk with me, please."

He does. The guards follow a few meters back. It's late spring; many of the plants are blooming, and the princess' touch wanders from flower to flower.

"My name is Zelda, as all women born into my family are called. However, to distinguish myself from those before me, those closest to me call me Eilse."

Astor stares at her, dumbfounded, and she gives a quiet laugh.

"I imagine this is quite overwhelming for you. You see, two weeks ago, I felt a ripple across the land. It took me a while to realize what that ripple was - you, Astor."

He blinks in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I was gifted with powers from the Goddess. My mother's manifested as healing; mine manifest as visions and feelings, though that's a broad term for it. Essentially... If something of large magical power occurs, I can feel it. Just as I felt you." She turns to him from where she had been tracing the petals of a wildflower. "More specifically, I was able to feel your connection to the Calamity."

Astor feels himself go cold. It was something both he and his parents had thought of, but none of them had dared voice it out loud.

"Only those with a connection to it could emit such a wave. That doesn't mean it's a bad thing; it means, for whatever reason, you are able to see what the future may hold if the Calamity returns - or, worse, if it wins." Eilse has an oddly motherly look to her, despite only being a few years older than Astor himself. "Am I right in assuming that?"

He nods. She asks him about his visions, and he tells her. He tells her not only of the Calamity, but of the other visions he's had. When he finishes, she nods to herself.

"You're quite in tune with the world - or at least this portion of it. It would make sense that you would see the Calamity, then. Its poison would reach every corner of the kingdom."

"But why now?" Astor blurted out. "I mean... The most I've ever seen is a few months into the future. This... I don't even know when it could be. I... There were people there, my parents - older than they are now, but I couldn't tell by how much."

"Your abilities are only just now beginning to awaken," Eilse explained calmly. She sits in the grass under the shade of a tree, and Astor sits beside her. "The flashes you've experienced until now were like a trickle behind a barrier. As you grow and mature, that barrier becomes thinner and thinner, until one day it breaks entirely. Yours is somewhat different - instead of wearing away slowly, a large dent has formed. It's ready to burst, and you would be ill prepared for it without that gradual ramp up."

"Would be?"

Eilse is quiet for a few moments, staring off at the horizon.

"I'd like for you to come back with me to Hyrule Castle. I could help you with your abilities, as well as my teachers. It... It would mean leaving your home behind. I cannot say how long."

She gives him time to think the offer over. He returns to his parents, wishing for their input. There's pain in their expressions, but they ultimately encourage him to go with the princess.

"If you can get these visions under any sort of control, you could help so many people," his mother whispers, pressing kisses to the top of his head. "You're so brave for even considering it, Astor. Whatever you decide, we will support you."

His father kneels before him and pulls him into a tight hug. He's never been a man of many words, but Astor has grown used to his body language. It says more than most people ever could.

They stay long enough for a meal and to give the horses some water and rest. Eilse and Rora prod his parents about the things Astor may not be able to tell them; the things that separate him from other kids. Astor sits quietly as they speak, though Eilse does make a point of including him in the conversation several times.

Just after noon, they're ready to leave. Astor, though he interacted with livestock on a daily basis, wasn't used to horses, let alone riding one. Rora made quick work of that, hoisting the boy up in front of him. His arms bracketed Astor, keeping him steady and giving him an odd sense of safety.

His mother holds his hand, tears welling in her eyes. They don't have much that they can spare to give him other than some food for the trip, but Rora promises they can find a way to send messages, perhaps even visit in the near future if things go well. And without much more delay, they set off.

He's fairly sore by the time they break for the night. Two of the soldiers go off to get some firewood while Rora and the third soldier remain with Astor and Eilse, helping set up camp and trying their best to make Astor feel less like an impostor.

"I grew up on a farm, too," Rora hummed, brushing down his horse. "Down in Hateno. Do you know it?"

Astor nods. "We occasionally get traders who are from there."

"Mmh. Nice place. A bit bigger than your village, but nothing like Castle Town. I was always pretending to be a knight instead of doing my chores around the farm. So when I came of age, I went off to try my luck. Promptly got my ass handed to me first day of training."

Astor blinks, and he can't help but let out a small, startled laugh. Rora had an older brother feel to him; he knew when to be serious, but evidently he could let loose fairly easily. The blonde shoots him a small grin, delighted to have gotten a less subdued reaction from the boy.

"Oh, yeah, my old commander's still around and kicking. New recruits have to get through him, too. Lots of them dropped in the first month, but it wasn't so bad when you got used to it. Before I knew it, I was promoted to Princess Eilse's personal knight."

"And what an idea that was," Eilse commented dryly, eliciting a round of laughter. The other soldiers returned by then with wood and food, and they set about getting dinner ready, telling stories and jokes in equal measure. Astor found himself smiling more often than not, and by the time they turned in for bed, most of his worry had dissipated. No matter what happened, he had the feeling Rora - and Eilse, as tentative as he was to say that - would have his back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they make their way towards Hyrule Castle, things may not be as simple - or pleasant - as they seem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this chapter: character death and brief gore, as well as more explicit visions from Astor. While not every chapter will deal with this, this is only the beginning due to the nature of Astor's storyline.

They reach Castle Town around two and a half weeks later; they're forced to take more breaks than anticipated due to Astor's lack of experience with horses.

During that time, however, Astor has become closer with his new companions. Eilse had revealed a wide knowledge of plants and their various purposes, and they'd spent several nights debating some obscure plant or recounting tales of their various uses. 

Despite her status, Eilse was an easy person to speak to. Astor had learned much about her, perhaps more than he should have been allowed to; she was sixteen, had a habit of focusing more on plants and medicine than her duties as princess, and often even trained with the knights. Her mother had evidently encouraged this exploration of skill, while her father had remained reluctant yet unobtrusive.

Alongside Eilse, he'd also grown close with Rora. He was eighteen, the youngest high-ranking soldier at the moment. He and Eilse had met during one of her training days; unfamiliar as he'd been with the royal family, having only seen them from afar, he'd not expected the princess to be clad in the simple training uniforms with a fairly crude wooden sword and shield in her hands. By the time he'd realized who she was, his instructors were fuming at him for the disrespect. 

When he'd been officially knighted, Eilse had, in fact, asked for him by name to be her personal guard. It was something her father had settled on to allow her to continue to pursue her passions; perhaps, in time, the knight could also reel her back from the edge of exploration and help her settle into her role as princess and queen.

They asked about Astor in turn, as well. Compared to them, he felt rather plain; he was able to connect with Rora on matters of the farm, but despite traveling with them, their lives seemed so distant and different from his own that it seemed he could never fit in among them.

As they entered Hyrule proper, they encountered more travelers and small settlements. Astor had been fascinated to see some of the ranches in Central Hyrule; despite the size of their farm, Astor's family had been far from self-sufficient, so being able to see people like him who had made not only a living but a business out of their work was exciting.

Rora had also bargained with one of the ranchers to buy a young mare for the boy. She was a beautiful black and chestnut colt, not quite ready for a rider, but Rora promised she soon would be, and the time between would be good for Astor to bond with her.

It wasn't long after that Astor was able to spot the castle in the distance, partially hidden behind a small forest. A lump formed in his throat every time his gaze landed on it; as Eilse had promised, it would be his home for the foreseeable future. What kind of space would he be allowed? What would his lessons be like? How far would they push him, knowing his link to the Calamity?

They're a day out from Castle Town when Astor has another nightmare. It's a bit of a shock to his system; the bigger visions usually had months of gaps between them, while the smaller ones perhaps came to him one a week or so. Even then, it was like nothing he'd seen before.

He dreamed first of an orb-like object. A glowing center was protected by a gear-like layer, and when he reached for it, a burst of magic pulsed from it. Constellations scattered in the air around him, leaving him in a domed area. There was something else with him, perhaps someone, but when he turned the scenery changed.

Astor stood on the castle grounds, overlooking Central Hyrule. Fire obscured most of it from view, ash and smoke clinging to his clothing and stinging his eyes and throat. Shadows raced through the streets; they were large, glowing faintly purple, but he could not make out their shape through the haze.

That same shade of purple surrounded him; a fog-like substance that swirled and seemed to writhe, to _breathe_. He had the distinct feeling it was speaking to him as he looked out upon Hyrule Field, at the destruction and chaos before him. He could not make out the words, only the feeling behind them:

 _Hatred_.

It spoke his name, and he woke to his own screams.

Rora was the first at his side, gripping his shoulders to get him to focus. Eilse appeared at his other side, murmuring soothing encouragements to him and offering him some water and a blanket to drape over his shoulders. She sat next to him as he shook; Rora disappeared briefly, grimly returning and reporting that one of the other guards was missing. 

Eilse coaxed him into revealing what he had seen, and when he glanced at her, a frown creased her face. She rubbed his back idly, mulling over his words. Though she didn't respond much, her presence lulled him back into sleep, and this time he did not dream.

The next morning, they found the body of the guard. He had been gutted by a crude blade, the wound jagged and gaping. His blood surrounded him in a circle of symbols, though Astor didn't get much of a look at them before vomiting to one side.

He noticed Eilse and Rora sharing worried looks and a few soft words before they mounted and made for Castle Town. Much of the ride passed in a blur to Astor, and by the time he focused once more, they were entering the gates to Hyrule Castle.

Eilse left quickly, hurriedly explaining that she was to report to her father and mentors as to what had happened. Rora guided Astor through the castle instead, pointing out a few of the main rooms, but he was distant, quiet. The death had shaken him just as much as Astor, and with a start the boy realized it might well have been the first body Rora had seen, let alone that of a comrade and friend.

He brings Astor to a fairly small and simple room. A window to one side overlooks the courtyard, and there's a shelf full of books on the wall opposite the bed. Rora attempts to stumble his way through introductions, and Astor ultimately has to thank him a few times and gently push him towards the door for the knight to get the message that he can leave.

Alone for the first time in months, Astor sits on the edge of the bed, staring out the window. In the past month alone, more has happened to or around him than his entire life, and some dark part in the back of his mind whispers it's only the beginning.

He stands and moves towards the bookshelf, hoping to distract himself with some reading. When he reaches out, however, something makes him pause.

There's blood under his fingernails.

Panic rises in his throat, and Astor shakes his head and blinks a few times. When he looks again, it's merely dirt from the road, and he tells himself he's simply paranoid due to the body they found that morning.

He still finds himself glancing at his hands as he reads, unsure if it was a trick of the light or his own mind.

He prays it's the former.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you're interested in more! I have a general idea for the events, but it would be nice to know someone would actually like to read it.
> 
> Here's to hoping we get more about Astor in the upcoming DLC content for AoC!


End file.
